Adelphe

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

My sister and I sailed across the Great Sea to these Libyan shores from the island city of Tyre. Exiled from our home and accompanied by her loyal followers, we pursued Elissa’s dream of creating a new city where we could be free and prosperous. In Tyre, the people called her Princess Elissa, but here she became Dido, Queen of Carthage. Her gift was the ability to inspire loyalty; nearly all who chanced to meet her, eagerly pledged themselves to her... all but one.

Like King Hiram of old, our grandfather Baal-Eser II and father, King Mattan, greatly increased the wealth of our city-state during their reigns. They built up the export trade in cedar, textiles, wine and metals and traded for gold and silver, ebony and silk. Royal purple from the Murex snail became so valuable it was worth ten times its weight in gold.

Our father was a good king who used his wealth to provide for the people of the city. He kept the harbor dredged, repaired the streets, and spared the people heavy taxes like those levied on the citizens of Sidon.

Of all his children, Elissa and Pygmalion were his favorites. As such, he named them to succeed him as joint heirs. He had not, however, counted on his tragic and premature death at the age of 32. Pygmalion was only a boy at the time and Elissa had been promised in marriage to the wealthy and powerful Sychaeus, high priest in the temple of Melqart, second only to the king. Our mother died giving me birth and although I was not openly blamed for her death, this event separated me from my father and siblings in an awkwardly palpable way. When father died, Elissa and Sychaeus took me into their hall by the north harbor. There, Sychaeus hired the best tutors for me. I studied writing, reading, mathematics and Greek.

After our father’s death, a few ambitious senators and military leaders set up a ruling council. They took Pygmalion into their sessions and set him up as their titular king. This period was marked by protracted contentious squabbles between council members who struggled, without a leader, to adjudicate and resolve disputes. Elissa was excluded, although father had chosen her to rule alongside our brother. As Sychaeus’ wife, the council feared her presence might eventuate another unwanted, supreme priestly power regime.

The fractious nature of the council over time worked in Pygmalion’s favor. Various members courted his support for their individual programs, and he learned through their example how to consolidate power and capture his kingship. To tame the military he enlisted Captain Parnach, an ambitious and unscrupulous soldier, who became brother’s constant companion. Soon the retirement of father’s military chief, Arvad, was arranged, and Pygmalion named Parnach head of the military guard. By the seventh year of Pygmalion’s reign, many of the council members had resigned. The loyal ones were given seats on the council of elders, ensuring them generous lifetime pensions.

When Sychaeus learned the council had been dissolved, he resolved that our father’s will be carried out and Elissa be recognized as Queen in Tyre, but he had waited too long, and this was never to be.